Tuesday night announcements.

First, a brief retrospective concerning how I celebrated my 60th birthday. I had breakfast at Denny’s with Sam, baked a loaf of Jewish rye in my bread machine, ordered nice Chinese food for dinner and then for dessert I enjoyed a shopping extravaganza on Amazon.com that included four containers of Crystal Light lemonade drink mixes and a subscription to Golchin’s sugar-free marble halva. I’m particularly excited about the sugar-free halva, because until half an hour ago I didn’t know it even existed.

Second, Sam and I discovered another Denny’s Restaurant this morning that’s only five blocks from home. We’ve been driving past it at least three times a week for the last four and a half years AND NEVER NOTICED IT BEFORE. (Please don’t ask me to explain this.) We ate there this morning, and the restaurant was very nice with polite waitresses and much cleaner than the other two Denny’s we usually visit. The only downside is, this one still has a SMOKING SECTION — probably the last smoking section in the entire state of Texas — so the reception area smells like a cross between Motel 6 and the poker room in a casino.

And finally … I’ve got a very cool major event that I’d like to announce. Our adorable 11-year-old niece Anna has been chosen to dance in “The Nutcracker” with the Joffrey Ballet! Performances are the first week of December at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles, and we’re so excited for her we could bust. I’ll post pictures if David and Lisa will remember to send some.

Time to fold towels. Thank you for reading this.